Photocopy machine



Dec. 27, 1949 HARVEY PHOTOCOPY MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April '7,1947 Inventor A rfhur Harvey and 420/232... #uwy EMU Dec. 27, 1949 A.HARVEY 2,492,476

PHOTOCOPY MACHINE Filed April '7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4.

- 20 J Inventor 26 52 50 4 Arfhur Harvey Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOCOPY MACHINE Arthur Harvey, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 7, 1947, Serial No. 739,902

. 1 Claim. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a photocopymachine and more specifically pertains to a photographic apparatus ofthis character which is adapted for making photo copies with equalfacility from originals which may be convexly mounted about asemicylindrical translucent surface as well as those which mustnecessarily be retained in a fiat condition.

The principal object of this invention is to enhance the efficiency andutility of conventional photocopy machines by modifying such machines toselectively copy curved and flat material without alteration of themachine and with a minimum adjustment and manipulation thereof.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a meansfor convenientl supporting the customary pliable curtain retainingmaterial in its inoperative position upon the machine.

A further important object of the invention resides in providing aphotocop machine which is adapted for use in copying curved or fiatmaterial by merely inverting the machine.

Yet another important purpose of the invention is to provide separateand independent illuminating means for activating selectivelytranslucent ground glass panes upon which the copies are made.

Still another important purpose of the invention is to provide a simple,inexpensive constructlon, which shall be dependable, of light weight andhighly efiicient for the purposes intended.

These, together with various auxiliary objects of the invention whichwill later become apparent as the following description proceeds, areattained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has beenillustrated, by Way Of example only, in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the machine in position forcopying material in a convexed position thereon;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the machine in an inverted positionfor copying flat material, such as the leaves of a book thereon;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View through the machinetaken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 ofFigure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the broken plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, whereinlike numerals indicate similar parts throughout the various views, theapparatus is indicated as an entirety b the reference numeral Ill and isof generally rectangular shape, consisting of a light, preferably sheetmetal casing having a bottom, flat wall [2, generally rectangular andvertically extending end walls M which latter are provided with suitablehandle members l6 rigidly secured thereto.

The casing is further provided with relatively low front and rear sidewalls l8 and 2B respectively within which are mounted suitableilluminating switches 22 and 24 respectively.

Depending from the bottom wall l2 of the apparatus adjacent the fourcorners thereof, are a plurality of short supporting legs 26 forsupporting the device in its upright position without marring thesupporting surface on which the apparatus rests. In order to enable thedevice to be employed in its inverted position, shown in Figure 2, theend walls 14 are slightly rounded at their upper corners as shown in 28to merge into the top edges which are rolled outwardly [as at 3d toprovide a reinforcing means and also to form supporting feet for thedevice in its inverted position. The upper edges of the end walls Mareprovided, adjacent the rear side wall 20, with downwardly extendingnotches 32 for the purpose to be subsequently set forth.

As shown best in Figure 3, the side walls l8 and 20 are provided withinwardly extending longitudinal flanges 34 which support and retain asemicylindrical translucent ground glass member 35 of any suitablematerial such as plate glass or the like, which constitutes a supportingmeans for material to be copied during operation of the machine. I'hissemi-cylindrical glass member, as shown best in Figure 4 is secured by asemi-circular band 38 which binds and supports the lateral edges of thesemi-cylindrical translucent member 36.

A pliable curtain or web 40 of any suitable material such as canvas,leatherette or the like, has one end thereof securely fastened as by alongitudinally extending strip 42 to the rear side Wall 29, and is ofsuch length as to smoothly encircle the translucent glass pane 36, andbe secured at its other end tightly thereabout by means of a retainingrod 44 secured in a hem or seam 45 in said curtain, the extremities ofsaid rod being selectively positioned beneath bracket members 46 securedon the front wall l8.

As shown in Figure 1, the pliable web or curtain All is intended to besnugly stretched about the semi-cylindrical translucent pane in theabove described manner, and when in its inoperative position is adaptedto be conveniently supported by engagement of the extremities of the rod44 in the above described notches 32 as shown in Figure 3.

Attention is next directed more specifically to Figure 2 for a betterunderstanding of the means for making prints or copies of flat materialwith this machine. The bottom wall I2 of the casin is providedpreferably adjacent one edge such as the rear wall 20, with a generallyrectangular vir-angement as shown in r Figure .1.

aperture 48, shown in Figure 4, overlying which is a pane of flattranslucently ground glass or other suitable material 50 retained bymeans of the channeled clamps or brackets 52, detachably secured as byscrewstSkor the like. Preferably, the thickness of these brackets 52 isless than the length of the legs 26, whereby the pane 50 and itsfastening means is spaced from the surface supporting the legs 26, toavoid contact therewith, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4.

Attention is next directed to Figures 3'and 4 for a better understandingof the interior construction of the casin of the apparatus and theilluminating mechanism housed therein. Asource of illuminant, such as alumiline or fluorescent tube-0r the'like 56 :is-supported upon suitablebrackets '58 fromeither-theend wall [4 or the base [2 o'ft'he casing,=ina position-substantially coinciding with the-central axisof thesemi-cylin- 'drical translucent'pane 36. Asshown, the lumiline orfluorescent-tube 56 extends throughout substantially the-lengthof-the-casing, to thereby provide-aneven-source or illumination over theentire area of the semi-cylindrical translucent pane. These 'brackets 58are suitably mounted as by-fastening-screws-or rivets'GD or-the like"tothe inner sides o'f-theend wallsld or from the 'bottomwall I2for'rigidly supporting the tube 'therein.

A'similar lumiline 'or fluorescent tube 62 is supported by'endbrackets64 resting'upon the '.:base l2 of the icasinggin'a position to extendlongitudinally and centrally and over the fiat translucent pane "'50.'Suitable fastening means inthe form .of..rivets or screws '66detachably supportthebracket"6'4ffromthe bottom wall l2 .in the casing.

As indicated .inFigure '4, electric. current from a suitable source suchas .a cable'58 enters an .end wall ['4 of the. casing andbyappropriatewir- ..ing paperare themplaced uponthe semi-cylinydrical.translucentpane -36, and-theretainingcuritain or .web 4.0.is.then drawntightly thereabout -.and.secured.as at-4' 6. Actuation of the lumilinetube 56 .bythe proper control-switch in the well known .manner nowproduces .the desired exlposureso as.to.copy thepriginal subject upon.the sensitized vpaperiorming a-negative of the sensitized paper. Thelatter lis then processed in a well known -.manner forming in itself no,part of-thisinvention. fIheznegative can then be: usedto make copiesin. the-usual contact manner upon the same surface of the machine. Inthis 1 position, the .machine. is in its 'upright ar- -rcomes desirableto use the vmachine to take a ;print of aiflatesubj-ect such asa page ofa book or "the like, theimachin'ezisinverted by meansof *the handle 'LGthe 'roundedrshoul'ders 2 8 assisting in rolling the machine into thereverse posi- When it be- ,a

use to another as when makin copies of material which may be curved orfrom flat material as desired. The above mentioned notches 32, provideaconvenient means for retaining the curtain 40 in its inoperativeposition in order to facilitate the application or removal of subjectmaterial, negatives and/or sensitized paper from the curvedtranslucentgground pane 36 during operation of the machine.

lFromthe foregoing it will be readily understood that there haswbeenprovided an extremely simple, inexpensivebut highlyutilitarianphotocopy-machine'which is ideally adapted for quick changefrom:making printsfrom originals'that can-beeither' curved or flat.It-Willbe noted that if desired both sources of illumination may beemployed when the fiat translucent ground-pane is'utilized, .toincreasethe illumination thereof as desired.

Since various modifications 'will readily occur to those skilled inv theart-after a tconsideration of the foregoing specification in connectionwith the accompanyin drawings, it is not-intended to limit the inventionto the exact construction shownand described,'but all suitablemodifications may be resortedto following the scope of the appendedclaim.

A' photocopy machine comprising a reversible casing having a pair of'end walls, front an'd'rear side walls, and aflatsubstantiallyhorizontal wall I secured between said end walls and said side walls,the upper-corners ofsai'd'end walls being rounded attheir'uppercorners,-theupper edges ofsaid-endwalls bein rolled outwardlyto provide supporting means for said casing, longi- 'tudinal supportingflanges-carried by said side walls, asemi-cylindricaltranslucentmemberdisposed'between said sidewalls-opposite said horizontal-wall, thelongitudinal edges of said semicylindrical member 'being supported bysaid flanges and a first printing surface, said horizontal wall havin anopening therein adjacent said rear side wall, a'flat translucent panesupported upon said 'flat horizontal wall and overlying sai'd-openingand forming a second printing surface, and illuminating means supported'insaid casing spaced from said printing surfaces and providingillumination forsaidprinting surfaces.

ARTHUR I HARVEY.

.REFERENCES CITED "The following'references are of recordin'the file ofthis patent:

iU'NITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 910,832 De'Lukacsevics Jan. 26,1909 1,086,487 Vermillion Feb. 10, 1914 l,871;4'84 'Nyttenbroek Aug. 16,1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 180,080 Switzerland Apr. 1,1936 823,707 France Oct. '25, 1937 "506,288 GreatBritain May 25, 1939

